Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 AMP).
As we began the new year, much like the rest of Europe, Ireland began the new year with a full lockdown. At midnight, I was wishing my boyfriend “Happy new year” over the phone, even though we live in the same city. At this point, we already made up our minds to do 21 days of prayer and fasting which would begin on the 4th of January and last till the 24th of January.
Much like Daniel (Daniel 10:12), the moment we decided to fast, God had answered our prayers. I remember the first day of the fast, it wasn’t my first fast but it was my first Daniel fast, it was sooo hard! I remember being cranky on the phone while talking to my boyfriend, I really wanted sugar/honey. As the days went by, God began to strengthen us through the fast. On the 5th day, I felt I wanted to go deeper, so I combined it with a 12hr fast (where I ate fruits around 2-3pm and ate food by 6pm). I only intended to do that for a few days but I felt so strengthened by God that I had no excuse but to continue.
I have heard God speak before, in 2019, I heard God speak for the first time at a very critical point in my life, I remember it being so clear, I heard part of a scripture in my heart, it was so timely, I knew it was God. It was so exciting, I got a word but I also got a revelation of God’s love in that moment, He cared enough to speak to me.
During the fast, I heard him speak all the time, I dreamt dreams of the future, I saw visions of the future, my heart was filled with hope and expectations, even in the middle of what seemed like an unending battle.
God restored my hope, He sustained my spirit, my body and my mind. If you don’t have hope, you don’t have anything! There was a time in my life where I sort of kind of believed in God but I had no hope, it’s not a time I ever want to go back to. As David said, I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13 AMP). What are you looking forward to, today?
During the fast, I was praying for my Grandpa who had been ill for some time. One night, as I slept, I saw a vision of him dancing, he was saying “let me dance with my wife after what God has brought me through”, the next day he was still in the hospital on oxygen, the day after, he was discharged. Hallelujah!
Before the dream, as I was praying for him, the Holy Spirit led me to the story of Hezekiah in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 38:16), where he gave thanks to God for restoring his health and letting him live. So I began to pray for God to let my grandfather live and as a confirmation of answered prayers He showed me that dream/vision.
There are so many things that happened over those 21 days, I went from hearing God speak once in a while to hearing him all the time, even as I write this. I am thankful to God for being a man of His word, I sought him and I found Him, by His grace I sought Him with all of my heart.
I pray to God that I never lose my wonder of knowing Him and being enlightened by Him, He is such a good Father.
For you, I pray that God will reveal himself to you, maybe you need to go on a fast to center your heart back on God, maybe you need to be more sincere in your current fast and seek God with all of your heart. He is right there beside you, His arms are open wide, He’s waiting for you to come to him, drop what you are carrying at his feet (1 Peter 5:7), now give him a hug. How does it feel? Peaceful, Joyful, Comforting! That’s our Father.
Thanks be to God by whose grace I have written this, Amen!
Peace be unto you and yours! Amen!
Size Forty One 